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Self-Sufficiency, Employment and Public Assistance Division

Food Stamp Program

The Food Stamp program helps low-income people and families buy the food they need for good health.  You apply for benefits by completing a State application form.  Benefits are provided on an electronic card that is used like an ATM card and accepted at most grocery stores.  Food Stamps are limited to basic food items and cannot be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco products or other non-food items.  To visit the Colorado Department of Human Services Food Assistance Program website, please click on this link.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To determine whether you may be eligible for food stamp benefits, you may visit the United States Department of Agriculture website to use their pre-screening tool.  Click here to be directed to that website.  When you reach the USDA website, click on the link, "pre-screening tool."

To qualify for food stamps, households must meet certain eligibility criteria.  To get the most detailed information about the eligibility criteria, please visit the USDA's Food Stamp webpage at www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/applicant_recipients/ eligibility.htm.  Some of the key eligibility criteria are provided below.

RESOURCES:

Households may have a maximum of $2,000 in countable resources, such as a bank account.  Households may have a maximum of $3,000 if at least one person is age 60 or older, or is disabled. Certain resources are not included, such as a home and lot and the resources of people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

INCOME:

Households have to meet income tests unless all members are receiving TANF or SSI. Most households must meet both the gross and net income tests, but a household with an elderly person or a person who is receiving certain types of disability payments only has to meet the net income test.

DEDUCTIONS:

Some deductions are allowed in the calculation of income for these purposes. Examples include dependent care expenses, medical expenses for elderly and disabled, child support payments, and shelter costs.  Detailed information about what deductions are allowable and who qualifies can be found on the USDA website.

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:

With some exceptions, able-bodied adults between the ages of 16 and 60 must register for work, accept suitable employment, and take part in employment and training programs to which they are referred by the food stamp office. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in disqualification from the program.

SPECIAL RULES FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED:

Most food stamp rules apply to all households, but there are a few special rules for households that contain an elderly or disabled member. The USDA website provides explanations of who is considered elderly and who is considered disabled.

BENEFITS

The amount of benefits that a household receives is called an allotment. There are maximum monthly allotments depending on household, and allotments are based on those maximum monthly allotments less the household's net income multiplied by 0.3 (30 percent).  More detailed information about how benefits are calculated can be found on the USDA website.

If approved for food stamps, the household will be issued a plastic electronic card, similar to an ATM card, that the household may use to pay for groceries at any authorized store (most food stores are authorized).  This card is used in the same way as an ATM or debit card at the checkout counter.  The cost of the groceries purchase is automatically deducted from the household's food stamp account.  The advantages of this method of payment are that most people will not notice that the person checking out is paying with food coupons, and that recipients no longer have to go anywhere to pick up benefits each month.  Benefits are automatically deposited into the household's account each month on the designated date.

TO APPLY FOR FOOD STAMPS:

  • Obtain an application by calling the Broomfield Health and Human Services Department at (720) 887-2200 or visiting the Colorado Department of Human Services' website at http://www.cdhs.state.co.us/fap/HowDoIApplyForFoodAssistance.htm.

  • Complete the application and review it for completeness and accuracy.  Incomplete applications can not be processed.  It is the responsibility of applicants to provide accurate information to ensure that benefits are calculated correctly and according to federal and state requirements.  If you need assistance completing the application, a food stamp caseworker can assist you.

  • Schedule an appointment for a face-to-face interview with a food stamp caseworker to submit the application in person, submit all of the required documentation, and undergo the pre-screening/verification process. Please call (720) 887-2287 to schedule an appointment.

  • Some examples of required documentation that you should bring with you to your interview (if applicable to you) are:

    -A valid driver's license or birth certificate;
    -Recent Pay stubs;
    -Documents showing money received from social security, SSI, Veterans Affairs, child support, etc;
    -Most recent rental agreement or letter from your landlord;
    -Most recent mortgage statement;
    -Utility bills, such as electricity, gas, and heating oil;
    -Cancelled checks for day care for your child;
    -Medical bills that you pay (if you are 60 years or older, or disabled); and
    -Court order or cancelled checks for child support payments.

NONDISCRIMINATION:

The USDA prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital and family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 

If you feel that you have been discriminated against, you may file a written complaint with the Director, Broomfield Health and Human Services, 6 Garden Center, Broomfield, Co 80020 or with the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), or with the USDA by writing to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or calling (202) 720-5964.

Information on the Food Stamp program is also available in other languages on the USDA website.